Reviewed by Becca

TITLE: Truth & Betrayal

SERIES: book 1

AUTHOR: K.C. Wells

PUBLISHER: self-published

LENGTH: 408 pages

RELEASE DATE: August 3, 2018

BLURB:

All the light went out of Jake’s life when his older brother Caleb died in a traffic accident. Getting through the aftermath was always going to be the hardest thing he’d ever done, but finding out that the tall stranger at the graveside was the one driving the car? At least Jake now has a target for all the rage inside him. Because the man responsible for stealing Caleb’s light from the world has no right to intrude on their grief.
Liam had known deep down that it was a mistake to go to Tennessee, but he’d hoped saying goodbye to Caleb would ease the pain inside him. The hostile reception from Caleb’s family and friends comes as no surprise, and Liam flees before things get ugly. They obviously know nothing of Caleb’s life in Atlanta, and maybe it’s better that way. Caleb’s secrets can die with him.
When Jake turns up at Caleb’s apartment to collect his brother’s possessions, what he discovers is the first shock in what is to be a series of revelations, turning Jake’s world upside down. New knowledge brings fresh pain and anguish.
Jake isn’t the only one who’s hurting…

REVIEW:

I had the pleasure of beta-reading this book, and you guys are going to LOVE it. Maybe not everyone but oh well. I’m so happy to see more POCs and settings in the south where research is actually done. The mannerisms, the language, the slang, all of it was researched and being from the south…it was like being home. Out with friends, or sitting home talking to folks. And I loved that she had iced tea EVERYWHERE! lol. We Southerners love our iced tea 😉 .

Jake knew the day he saw the police show up at his door that his life would be forever changed. And he was right. He lost his best friend and brother, Caleb. Caleb was everything to him and now he doesn’t know how to go on. On top of it, at the funeral the man who was in the accident with Caleb showed up. And he’s not white. Jake said some hurtful things and eventually regretted it once he calmed down some. And he couldn’t get Liam out of his head. Something was eating at him about this whole situation and he had to know what. When he went to get Caleb’s belongings, it was awkward and tense and didn’t turn out real well. He saw Liam was grieving just as bad. As he went through Caleb’s computer, Caleb’s betrayal cut through him like a knife. How could Caleb keep his REAL relationship with Liam a secret?!?! The more Jake talked to Liam, the more he found out, and the more confused he became. He started to feel for Liam. But how can that be with his brothers ex? And how can they all move on?

Every time I was sent a chapter in my email, I didn’t know whether to cringe, cry or laugh. Lol. You guys may laugh but when you start reading, you will understand. The comments you see about her book are no joke. She hits you with a whammy right out of the gate. But even through the tears, I loved every page. Although there were a few times I was like COME ON! NO FAIR! LOL. This book is one of the best I’ve read by K.C. and that’s saying a lot for me. I love each and every book of hers.

Getting hit with the first whammy, is Jake losing his brother in a car wreck. The second whammy was Caleb’s friend who popped up at the funeral. The third….Caleb is like him. Gay. But Jake doesn’t know how to process all this. I didn’t know who I wanted to cry more for in this book. Even the parents of Jake and Liam both played a part that was overwhelming. Jake was trying to deal with Caleb’s death and the fact that they were really so alike. And not being able to be a part of that life hurt Jake so bad. But as Jake really began to let his feeling for other men come out of him, albeit quietly, he began to see why. No one would accept him. In this small hick town, no one would have accepted Caleb, even more so when they found out his boyfriend was African American. Jake was even more depressed. How is he supposed to live his life? As he visited Liam more to find things out and eventually to visit as friends, he found another unexpected surprise. A friend in an unlikely place. What I loved, also, was Liam. No matter how bad his grief, he was there for Jake. Even when he didn’t want to be or when he was hurt or angry. He answered questions which would make a lot of people blush. He was kind and sweet.

I could write pages about this book. It was so good. Jake and Liam are such special people. They come together in tragedy and learn that life goes on. And so does love. That’s what we all need to remember. Life moves on. Tragedy happens but love and life are still waiting after. We also need to remember something else important. It doesn’t matter someone’s skin tone. It doesn’t matter what sex someone is. It doesn’t matter where someone is from. We are all human who deserve to love and be love. Be that love in life. Be a voice of love. Show people that being different is what we all are and it’s ok. These two I will keep close to me. They are special in their way. And I hope people will stop being so prejudice against people of color or nationality or sex in books as well. Be different. Be accepting. Be love.

RATING:  

BUY LINK: 

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